Scholarships

90+ Unique Scholarships, Just ONE Application!

Applying for scholarships from the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois is easier than ever! 
There is just one application and one deadline: the application opens on December 1st and closes February 1st, every year.

Access the CFNIL Scholarship Application Portal

Need help getting started? Visit the Scholarship Resources page to learn how to apply!

CFNIL’s scholarship funds were created by donors that recognize the importance of helping students achieve their educational goals, now and in perpetuity. The funds’ creators selected the criteria based on their interests and the community’s need. Many of CFNIL’s scholarships are memorials, which celebrate the life and passions of individuals.

The diversity of scholarship offerings reflects the diversity of CFNIL’s donors and the communities it serves. The majority of scholarships are for current college students and graduating high school seniors in Boone, Ogle, Stephenson and Winnebago Counties. Scholarships are available based on a variety of factors: community engagement; academic achievement; financial need; athletic participation; field of study; and many more. There are scholarships for non-traditional, minority, and first-generation college students. Nearly two dozen scholarships are available for students who have a high school diploma OR a GED — learn more on the Scholarship Resource page.

The applications are read and scored by committees of volunteers who use a “blind” review process and make recommendations to CFNIL’s Board of Trustees. Scholarship recipients are announced in late April. Awards are sent directly to the recipient’s post-secondary institution.

While the majority of the scholarship funds CFNIL administers are included in the application for the main scholarship cycle (open Dec. 1 – Feb 1 each year), several additional scholarships run on a different timeline or are administered by outside organizations. The first table below lists the standard CFNIL Scholarships. The second table at the bottom of the page lists the non-standard scholarships; click on each scholarship name for details on how to apply for these non-standard scholarships. 

Community Foundation of Northern Illinois 2021 Scholarship Report: What if a whole community paid it forward? Background image blue and green texture and white arrows pointing to the right.

2021 CFNIL Scholarship Report

The Community Foundation of Northern Illinois (CFNIL) is pleased to announce its 2021 scholarship recipients: 175 scholarships worth up to $335,874 to local students. The scholarships will support the post-secondary educational aspirations of 140 local students from 28 high schools.

Meet the CFNIL Scholarship Class of 2021

Questions? Need help getting started? Contact Ciara!

Ciara Stahly, Program Officer
Ciara Stahly
Program Officer
Phone: 779-210-8209
Email: Ciara Stahly

CFNIL Administered Scholarships

Status Scholarship Name Type Region Schools Deadline
Closed Fred Peterson, Jr. Memorial Scholarship Academics, Civic Engagement, Community Service, Current College Student, Graduating High School Senior, High School Graduate, Non-Traditional Hononegah HS February 1
Closed Gary S. Wilmer / RAMI Music Scholarship GED Recipient, Graduating High School Senior, High School Graduate, Music Boone Co., Ogle Co., Winnebago Co. February 1
Closed Gene Bradford Memorial Scholarship Education, Graduating High School Senior, High School Graduate, Sciences Byron HS February 1
Closed Geoffrey R. Laird Memorial Scholarship Academics, Current College Student, Financial Need, GED Recipient, Graduating High School Senior, Mathematics, Sciences Winnebago Co. February 1
Closed Harry H. and Floy B. Chapin Scholarship Academics, Graduating High School Senior Dakota HS, Durand HS, Pecatonica HS February 1
Closed Hazel Mortimer Hyde Memorial Conservation NSDAR Scholarship Academics, Conservation, Financial Need, Graduating High School Senior Winnebago Co. February 1
Closed Hegel Family Soccer Scholarship Academics, Athletics, Community Service, Graduating High School Student Hononegah HS February 1
Closed Howard and Eithal Curry Elementary Education Recruitment Grant Education, Female, Graduating High School Senior, Teaching Boone Co., Winnebago Co. February 1
Closed Howard D. Colman Scholarship Academics, Computer Science, Engineering, Graduating High School Senior, Technology Boone Co., Winnebago Co. February 1
Closed International Management Council (IMC) Scholarship Academics, Business, Community Service, Graduating High School Senior Winnebago Co. February 1
Closed Irene K. Karsk Memorial Scholarship Community Service, Vocational Studies Pecatonica HS February 1
Closed It's Up To Me Scholarship Financial Need, Graduating High School Senior, Students With Disabilities Boone Co., Winnebago Co. February 1
Closed Jack Lovejoy Vocational Scholarship Community Service, Graduating High School Senior, High School Graduate, Vocational Studies Hononegah HS February 1
Closed Janet L. Williams Mathematics Scholarship Computer Science, Engineering, Graduating High School Senior, Mathematics, Teaching Hononegah HS February 1
Closed John D. and Melinda (Mindy) L. Stadel Scholarship Academics, Community Service, Graduating High School Senior Boone Co., Ogle Co., Stephenson Co., Winnebago Co. Any public or private high school February 1
Closed John E. Lindley Memorial Swim Scholarship Athletics, Financial Need, Graduating High School Senior Rockford HS February 1
Closed John Flynn Memorial Scholarship Community Service, Graduating High School Senior Pecatonica HS February 1
Closed Jouris Family Scholarship Academics, Graduating High School Senior, Mathematics, Physical Sciences Winnebago Co. February 1
Closed Karen and Robert Harter Recruitment Grant Current College Student, Education, Female, GED Recipient, Mathematics, Non-Traditional, Nursing, Sciences Boone Co., Ogle Co., Stephenson Co., Winnebago Co. February 1
Closed Keith Maffioli Scholarship Academics, Financial Need, Graduating High School Senior Boone Co., Ogle Co., Stephenson Co., Winnebago Co. February 1
Closed Kjellstrom Women's Scholarship Initiative Female, GED Recipient, High School Graduate, Non-Traditional Winnebago Co. February 1
Closed Larry and Betty McGee Scholarship Community Service, Computer Science, Current College Student, Engineering, Financial Need, GED Recipient, Sciences, Technology Winnebago Co. February 1
Closed League of Women Voters of Greater Rockford Scholarship Academics, Civic Engagement, Financial Need, Graduating High School Senior, High School Graduate Boone Co., Winnebago Co. February 1
Closed Leonard D. Carmichael Community Service Scholarship Community Service, Financial Need, Graduating High School Senior Rochelle HS February 1
Closed Lieutenant Kelli Ingardona Memorial Scholarship Current College Student, Financial Need, Fire Science, GED Recipient, High School Graduate Boone Co., Ogle Co., Winnebago Co. February 1

Other Scholarships